Folding highchair

ABSTRACT

Folding highchair comprising a seat section intended to hold a baby or a toddler and a folding support structure intended to support the seat section in a folded and/or unfolded manner with respect to the support structure; which is characterized in that the support structure comprises a base section intended to rest on a surface and collapsible panels that are linked to the seat section and the base section, such that when the support structure is in folded condition, the base structure is superimposed with respect to the seat section, and where the collapsible panels are housed in an inner casing defined in the seat section and/or the support structure. As a result of these characteristics a folding highchair is achieved, which takes up very little space when it is in folded condition, such that it can be transported in a bag or a handbag, for example, of the kind used for carrying baby diapers.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of Spanish PatentApplication No. 201731101 filed Sep. 21, 2017, the contents of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is registering a folding-typehighchair. More specifically the invention proposes the development of afolding highchair that is easy to handle and simple to manufacture,intended to allow a baby or a toddler to sit up and reach the height ofa table.

There is a wide variety of highchairs for babies and toddlers on themarket. Among the variety of different designs of existing highchairs,there are those that are mainly made up of a seat section and a foldingsupport structure intended to support the seat section in a foldedand/or unfolded manner with respect to the support structure.

However, these highchairs known in the state of the art present a seriesof drawbacks, such as the fact that despite being folded, they take upconsiderable space and this does not enable them to be transportedmanually in a handy and portable way, whereby a user cannot take itwherever and whenever they wish. Therefore, there still exists a needfor carrying out a folding highchair that resolves the aforementioneddrawbacks, in a simple and user-friendly way.

In addition, the applicant is currently unaware of the existence of aninvention having all the characteristics described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was developed with the aim of providing a foldinghighchair that constitutes a novelty within the field of application,and it solves the drawbacks mentioned above while also contributingother additional advantages, which will become evident from thedescription provided below.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a foldinghighchair of the type comprising a seat section intended to hold a babyor a toddler and a folding support structure intended to support theseat section in a folded and/or unfolded manner with respect to thesupport structure.

Specifically, it is characterized in that the support structurecomprises a base section intended to rest on a surface and collapsiblepanels that are linked to the seat section and the base section, suchthat when the support structure is in folded condition, the basestructure is superimposed with respect to the seat section, and wherethe collapsible panels are housed in an inner casing defined in the seatsection and/or the support structure.

As a result of these characteristics a folding highchair is achieved,which takes up very little space when it is in folded condition, suchthat it can be transported in a bag or a handbag, for example, of thekind used for carrying baby diapers. Thus, parents can always carry ahighchair easily and comfortably, which makes it easier for them to feedthe baby.

Other preferred and advantageous aspects of the highchair of theinvention are described in the dependent claims but without limiting theinvention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the folding highchair, object ofthe present invention, will become clear in light of the description ofa preferred, though non-exclusive, embodiment, which, by way of anon-limiting example, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a folding highchairaccording to the present invention shown in folded condition;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the folding highchair according tothe present invention shown in unfolded condition (for use);

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the folding highchair accordingto the present invention shown in unfolded condition (for use);

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the folding highchair of theinvention;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the folding highchair of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a foldinghighchair according to the invention provided with a backrest member ina unfolded condition; and

FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the second embodiment of thefolding highchair according to the invention with backrest member in anunfolded condition.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In light of the aforementioned figures and, in accordance with theadopted numbering, an example of a preferred embodiment of the inventioncan be observed therein, which comprises the parts and elementsindicated and described in detail below.

Thus, as shown in the figures, the folding highchair, generallyindicated with reference number (1), essentially comprises a seatsection (2) intended to hold a baby or a toddler, and a supportstructure (3) that can be folded, which is located below the seatsection (2), which is intended to support the seat section in a foldedand/or unfolded manner with respect to the support structure (3). As canbe seen more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat section (2) comprises abody in the form of a plate with a significantly rectangular plan.

With specific reference to the support structure (3), it comprises abase section (5) intended to rest on a surface and collapsible panels(6) that are linked to the seat section (2) and the base section (5),arranged on two sides facing each other.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, when the support structure (3) is in foldedcondition, the base section is superimposed with respect to the seatsection (2), and where the collapsible panels (6) are housed in an innercasing defined in the seat section and the support structure (3).

Furthermore, the support structure (3) includes unfolding reinforcingelements (7) that are located on the lesser sides of the highchair (1).Each of the unfolding reinforcing elements (7) comprises a panel that isarticulated on the lower part of the seat section (2) by means of ahinged section (70) (see FIG. 3).

Each of the collapsible panels (6) has two elongated portions (60)articulated to each other in a pivoting manner through a plurality ofhinge sections (61) aligned with each other, said hinge sections beinglinked by means of a pivoting axis (not shown). One of the portions(upper portion) is linked to the seat section (2), while the otherportion (lower portion) is linked to the base section (5).

As can be seen in FIG. 1, when the highchair (1) is in completely foldedcondition, the two elongated portions (60) are completely hidden in theinner space defined between the seat section (2) and the base section(5), so the total height of the highchair (1), in folded condition, isdefined only by the sum of the heights of the seat section (2) and thebase section (5).

Additionally, as can be seen in various figures, the highchair (1)includes a pair of protecting lateral arms (8) that enable positioningand limiting the space to be occupied by the user, thus preventing itfrom falling unintentionally while sitting in the highchair. These twoprotecting lateral arms (8) are articulated in a rotating manner onopposite sides of the seat section (2) by means of a plurality of hingesections (80) that are linked by means of a pivoting axis (not shown),which facilitates the folding and unfolding operation thereof. As can beseen in FIG. 2, in unfolded condition, the protecting lateral arms (8)adopt a vertical position, i.e., perpendicular with respect to the seatsection (2), while in a folded position, the protecting lateral arms (8)are arranged in a plane parallel to the seat section (2), thus occupyinga reduced volume when the highchair (1) of the invention is not beingused.

The seat section (2) has a flange (20), on each of the two lesser sidesopposite each other, and said flange (20) projects on top with respectto the plane defined by said seat section, each of the protectinglateral arms (8) being articulated on a respective flange (20).

It is worth mentioning that advantageously the height of the flange issignificantly the same dimension as the thickness of the body that makesup the protecting lateral arm (8).

It is worth mentioning that the aforementioned panels, reinforcingelements, base section (5) and seat section (2) are made of injectionmoldable plastic material.

Furthermore, the seat section can include a cover, for example, of theremovable type (not shown) that covers a part or all of said seatsection (2), said cover being, for example, a padding that enhances thecomfort of the user.

It is worth mentioning that the highchair described herein may includeone or more bands or fastening straps adjustable in length such that thehighchair is securely fastened, for example, when it is located on theseat of a conventional chair, so that the fastening bands are joined tothe backrest and/or the seat of the chair. Likewise, a restraint systemcan also be provided to keep the child in the highchair, for example, aharness type restraint, adjustable in length in order to suitably adaptto the baby or toddler.

A second embodiment of folding highchair is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Inthat case, folding highchair includes a backrest member (9) mounted in adeployable way and joined to the support structure by a fastening systemwhich is below disclosed. This backrest member (9) can be made up ofrigid, semi rigid or flexible material and allows a child to support hisback when is sitting. As can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, this backrestmember (9) remains in a completely unfolded condition perpendicularly tothe seat section (2) while in a folded condition, the backrest (9) isplaced on the seat section (2).

In particular relating to above mentioned fastening system comprises twostrips (10) which are separated and distanced to each other, one of theend of each strip (10) being attached to a side portion of backrestmember (9) and the opposite end of each strip being attached in a lowerpart of the seat section (2), with each of the strips (10) of the seatsection (2) protruding from a groove (11) made in each lateral side ofthe support structure (3).

The details, shapes, dimensions and other accessory elements used tomanufacture the folding highchair of the invention may be suitablysubstituted for others which do not diverge from the scope defined bythe claims included below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A folding highchair comprising a seat sectionintended to hold a baby or a toddler and a folding support structureintended to support the seat section in a folded and/or unfolded mannerwith respect to the support structure, characterized in that the supportstructure comprises a base section designed to rest on a surface andcollapsible panels that are linked to the seat section and the basesection, such that when the support structure is in folded condition,the base structure is superimposed with respect to the seat section, andwhere the collapsible panels are housed in an inner casing defined inthe seat section and/or the support structure.
 2. The folding highchairaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the support structureincludes unfolding reinforcing elements.
 3. The folding highchairaccording to claim 2, characterized in that each of the unfoldingreinforcing elements comprises a panel that is articulated to the seatsection.
 4. The folding highchair according to claim 1, characterized inthat it comprises collapsible panels arranged on two sides facing eachother.
 5. The folding highchair according to claim 1, characterized inthat each of the collapsible panels has two portions articulated to eachother in a pivoting manner, one of the portions being linked to the seatsection and the other portion being linked to the base section.
 6. Thefolding highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that the seatsection comprises a body with a significantly rectangular plan.
 7. Thefolding highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that itincludes a pair of protecting lateral arms articulated in a rotatingmanner on opposite sides of the seat section.
 8. The folding highchairaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the panels, reinforcingelements, and seat section are made of injection moldable plasticmaterial.
 9. The folding highchair according to claim 1, characterizedin that the seat section includes a removable cover that covers a partor all of said seat section.
 10. The folding highchair according toclaim 7, characterized in that the seat section has a flange on each ofthe two sides opposite each other, and said flange projects on top withrespect to the plane defined by said seat section, each of theprotecting arms being articulated on a respective flange.
 11. Thefolding highchair according to claim 10, characterized in that theheight of the flange is significantly the same dimension as thethickness of the body that makes up the protecting arm.
 12. The foldinghighchair according to claim 1, characterized in that it provides abackrest member mounted in a deployable way and joined to the supportstructure by a fastening system.
 13. The folding highchair according toclaim 12, characterized in that the fastening system comprises twostrips which are separated and distanced to each other, one of the endof each strip being attached to a side portion of backrest member andthe opposite end of each strip being attached in a lower part of theseat section, with each of the strips of the seat section protrudingfrom a groove made in each lateral side of the support structure.